Vaharai supplied for two weeks, 33 trucks blocked

[TamilNet, Thursday, 30 November 2006, 18:09 GMT]
Additional Government Agent of Batticaloa District, K. Mahesan told media Thursday that 57 of 90 trucks with humanitarian supplies had reached Vaharai Wednesday. No supplies were sent on Thursday. Vaharai region has been supplied for two weeks, according to UN Office of Resident Co-ordinator in Colombo. A total number of 84 trucks had reached Vaharai, according to the UN office. Both the Additional GA and the UN office said 33 trucks had returned to Batticaloa without delivering supplies. The trucks were blocked at Mankerny entry point by the Sri Lanka Army.

34 lorries from World Food Programme, 7 from Seva Lanka, 5 from World Vision, 4 from EHED, and 3 from Sri Lankan Ministry of Nation Buiilding and Development had reached Vaharai with food supplies for 2 weeks for 40 000 Tamil civilians, Mr. Mahesan said.

1000 tents, 300 boxes of fortified biscuits and 20 tonnes of other fortified food stuff for children and pregnant women, 1000 hygiene kits, 2 fifty kilo barrels of chlorine, 3 water bowzers and a one month supply of fuel were some of the necessary items which will help to alleviate the suffering of Vaharai’s extremely vulnerable population, according to the UN office.

"Some 33 trucks carrying essential food items were unable to proceed representing a 40% shortage of what was intended for one month," the UN office said.

According to the GA, 34 trucks carrying supplies from WFP, 7 Sewa Lanka, 5 World Vision, 4 Eastern Self-Reliant and Community Awakening Organisation (ESCO), 4 Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) and 3 Sri Lankan Nation Building and Development Ministry trucks were blocked from entering the Vaharai region.

The ICRC and the SLMM has to start again the process of facilitating the humanitarian supplies, the GA said.

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